Technetium-Labeled Red Blood Cell Bleeding Scan

Topic Overview

In a technetium-labeled red blood cell bleeding scan, blood is taken
from you, and a small amount of radioactive material called technetium is added
to the blood. The blood with the technetium is then injected back into
your bloodstream.

Red blood cells with the technetium attached to them accumulate
at the location of active bleeding. A machine scans the body to find where the
technetium accumulates. This method of finding bleeding is sometimes
more effective than angiography. The technetium-labeled red blood cell
bleeding scan may find slow bleeding that can't be seen using
angiography.

The technetium-labeled red blood cell bleeding scan is used:

If the source of the bleeding in the large
intestine cannot be found using
colonoscopy or other methods.

If the
bleeding is too slow or intermittent to be detected by
angiography.

If colonoscopy finds that the bleeding is coming from
a spot in the small intestine and the bleeding does not stop. (The bleeding
stops on its own in most people.)

When surgery is needed to stop
the bleeding. It is important to locate exactly the source of the bleeding
before surgery.

Topic Contents

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